Cologne’s Municipal Museum

Cologne's Municipal Museum occupies a former department store building across multiple floors, with exhibitions tracing the city's development and everyday life through the centuries. The spaces combine original architectural features with contemporary display areas for the municipal collections.

The museum was established in 1888 and relocated from its original location to the renovated Franz Sauer department store building. This move allowed the institution to operate in a more centrally located structure with expanded exhibition space.

The museum displays everyday objects from Cologne's residents that offer glimpses into different periods of the city's past. These collections help visitors understand how daily life in the city transformed over the centuries.

The museum is located near the Hohe Strasse and Schildergasse shopping streets, making it easy to find and access. Information is available in multiple languages, and the building has facilities for visitors with mobility restrictions.

The interior retains details from its days as a department store, including marble floors and a spiral staircase that are now part of the museum's architecture. These original elements give visitors a sense of how the building once functioned.